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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spell · track · present · cell · chip · lash · object · wound

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. present — a gift
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. track — to keep track
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. wound — an injury
  7. spell — letters
  8. track — a song
  9. spell — magic
  10. present — there
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. cell — a phone
  13. present — the time now
  14. track — a path
  15. chip — to eat
  16. cell — in biology
  17. object — a thing
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. object — to protest
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. spell — a short time
  22. object — an aim
  23. wound — an injury
  24. lash — an eyelash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com